The Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, has received the 2026 Sun Minister of the Year Award, dedicating the recognition to Nigerian teachers, students and young people.
Alausa received the award at the 2026 Sun Awards ceremony held at Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, on Saturday, November 14.
In his acceptance speech, the minister described the honour as recognition of the collective efforts of the Federal Ministry of Education, its agencies, teachers, institutional leaders and development partners in improving education and expanding learning opportunities across the country.
He expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his support and leadership, noting that the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda had placed education at the centre of its human capital development priorities.
The minister also acknowledged the contributions of the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, particularly her advocacy for education, children’s welfare and the protection of girls whose circumstances threaten their access to education.
Highlighting the government’s education reform priorities, Alausa said the ministry was implementing the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI), which seeks to expand access to education, improve teaching and learning, strengthen technical and vocational education and promote the use of reliable data in policy planning.
He stressed that the government’s ambition extended beyond increasing school enrolment to ensuring that Nigerian children received quality education and acquired the competencies needed to compete globally.
Alausa identified the ministry’s ‘Learn to Work, not just Teach to Learn’ philosophy as central to its efforts to reposition education towards employability, productivity and economic development.
According to him, the initiative aims to ensure that young Nigerians graduate with practical knowledge and relevant skills that will enable them to secure decent, well-paying jobs rather than leave school with certificates that do not adequately prepare them for the labour market.
The minister reiterated Tinubu’s commitment to ensuring that every Nigerian child has access to quality education comparable to international standards.
He added that the success of education reforms should be measured by their impact on classrooms, learning outcomes and the opportunities available to Nigerian children and young people.
In dedicating the award to teachers, Alausa described them as indispensable partners in the country’s educational transformation, recognising their sacrifices and contributions to shaping future generations.
He also dedicated the recognition to Nigerian students and young people, whose aspirations, he said, remained central to the ministry’s work.
The minister thanked his family, friends, government partners, industry stakeholders and civil society organisations for their support. He also commended the board of editors, management and staff of The Sun Publishing Limited for the recognition and its coverage of developments in the education sector.
Describing the award as both an encouragement and a greater responsibility, Alausa pledged that the ministry would sustain ongoing reforms, strengthen stakeholder collaboration and pursue measurable improvements in access to education, learning outcomes and teaching quality.
He said the recognition would further motivate the ministry to prepare Nigerian children and young people for academic success, employment, innovation, entrepreneurship and national development.
The award comes as the Federal Government continues to position education as a major driver of human capital development, national productivity and inclusive economic growth under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
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